Bravehearts owner John Creedon Jr: PawSox announcement knocks the wind out of us’

Friday

Aug 17, 2018 at 5:14 PM

Above, Worcester Bravehearts owner John Creedon Jr., second from left, at the Septemer 2013 unveiling of his team as the new summer baseball team in Worcester. They play in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League/File Photo

The standing-room only announcement at City Hall in Worcester on Friday that the Pawtucket Red Sox, after decades playing one state over in Rhode Island, have agreed on a plan to build a new ballpark and start playing here in 2021 drew several rounds of applause and had everyone present clapping and cheering.

He wasn’t there for the announcement - and John Creedon Jr. wasn’t clapping or cheering, either. In fact, just the opposite. The news, he said, had knocked the wind out of him.

For the past five years, his family has run the Worcester Bravehearts baseball team at Fitton Field, at the base of College Hill on the campus of Holy Cross. It is a hop, skip and a jump from where the PawSox - or is that the WooSox? - plan to build a roughly $86-$90-million ballpark. In three years, assuming the deal is approved by city councilors here and the league the PawSox play in - and assuming construction goes smoothly - that stadium, which includes plans for new hotels, housing and retail, will be ready for fans.

Where, it has been asked, does that leave the Bravehearts? Creedon appears to be wondering that as well. His team brought baseball back to Worcester and has been a smashing success, packing in thousands of fans each summer, while advancing to the league championship series all five years since conception. They have won it outright twice and were named co-champs this year just last week.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, after all the fanfare surrounding one of the worst-kept secrets at least in recent Worcester history, Creedon did not hide his disappointment and frustration with a deal that, while seen as a boon for the city, could well spell the end of what his family started five years ago.

“I understand and appreciate the euphoric excitement that most, if not all, people in Central Massachusetts feel with the announcement that the Pawtucket Red Sox are relocating to Worcester,” Creedon said. “I hope that people can understand and pardon my family and me for respectfully not sharing in the elation at this time where the impact of all this on the Worcester Bravehearts’ business operation remains to be seen.

“Over the last five years, my family, along with Bravehearts’ General Manager Dave Peterson, and our entire staff have worked tirelessly to create a baseball team and build a brand that the community of Worcester and families of Central Massachusetts would be proud of and enjoy. By all measures, we have exceeded everyone’s expectations, including our own, and have operated in a way that I gladly sign my name to.”

“In short,” Creedon continued, “the Bravehearts have been wildly successful on the field, in the stands, and around the community, developing into a quintessential Worcester brand providing wholesome, affordable family fun and high caliber baseball. Since our inception, it has been a true privilege for my family and me, along with Dave Peterson, to be stewards of the national pastime here in our hometown. None of the Bravehearts’ success or positive impact would have been possible without the enthusiastic support from our ballpark guests, host families, corporate partners, nonprofit partners, media partners, and community leaders. For all of your support, we are truly grateful. We do not take any of it for granted.”

The PawSox announcement, he said, “knocks the wind out of us and pauses the magical momentum we have generated over the last five years. It will be hard for our small, family-owned & operated baseball team to compete with the prestige and resources of the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. However, we do not shrink from adversity or back down from a challenge. That is not what Worcester people do.”

Creedon said his organization continues to communicate “in good faith” with PawSox Chairman Larry Lucchino, but said more work remains to be done. He also questioned some of the public statements made by city officials about the Bravehearts.

“I remain hopeful that the words of our city leaders over the past year in support of the Bravehearts as part of the deal to relocate the Red Sox Triple A affiliate to Worcester will ring true before too long,” Creedon said. “That has not happened yet, and it has not been for lack of effort, attention, or willingness on the part of the Bravehearts.”

In the meantime, though,” he continued, “you can rest assured that the Worcester Bravehearts will continue to operate with vim and vigor, and continue to play with zest and zeal at

Hanover Insurance Park at Fitton Field next summer and beyond.”

As for what the future holds, should the new ballpark be ready in 2021 or perhaps 2022, Creedon said the Bravehearts “are not going away.”

“As we see it, the families of this incredible community deserve to have a baseball team they can spend their summers with in 2019, 2020, and perhaps beyond – namely, the Worcester Bravehearts,” Creedon said. “Plus – between you and me – our loveable mascot, Jake the Lion, needs the work. No one wants to see him panhandling in Lincoln Square.”

The Bravehearts and PawSox have had discussions about the future, but the exact nature of them has been kept private. Speaking after the announcement Friday, PawSox Executive Vice President and General Manager Dan Rea III said the team is “excited to keep talking with [the Bravehearts] and having continuing the conversation.”

Asked to describe the tone of the talks already held, Rea said, “I think we’ve been sharing thoughts and sharing perspectives. They’ve helped educate us in the marketplace. And we’ve tried to share our perspective as an affiliated team. We’ve had an open, honest, good, productive dialogue. We want to see now where it goes. We have a lot of respect for what they’ve done and accomplished here in Worcester.”

One of the Bravehearts biggest boosters, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Murray, said the Bravehearts are owed "an enormous debt of gratitude." He said he hopes for a successful outcome to discussions between the organization and the PawSox.

"It’s a great Worcester story and they’ve done well," Murray said. "The parties are talking and in negotiations and I think we’re all hopeful a success negotiation can be completed that’s fair to the Creedons and what they’ve done and allows baseball momentum to continue in a positive way."

Reporter Bill Shaner contributed to this report.

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